Logano Predicts A Wild All-Star Race

“It’s going to get crazy—we’re going to crash some stuff tonight,” Logano said after a Saturday morning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice NASCAR added to the schedule after rain wiped out most of Friday’s practice time.

With a new rules package specifically for the All-Star Race—featuring a restrictor-plate to reduce horsepower and a giant-sized spoiler to provide additional downforce and drag—Logano expected the race for the $1-million top prize to be a war of attrition.

“When there’s that much money on the line, there’s going to be some aggressive racing, and we’re going to see that here no matter what, especially when you have a 10-lap shootout,” Logano said.

“That’s going to get pretty chaotic pretty quick. I don’t think the last 10 laps will go caution-free. Maybe I’m wrong, but if there are any cars left, it might just be about survival. That might be a big deal tonight.”

Drivers were respectful in Saturday’s practice, but they used every inch of the 1.5-mile speedway and on occasion raced three-wide through the corners. What the competition was going to look like under race conditions was still anyone’s guess.

“Was practice pretty entertaining to watch?” Logano asked rhetorically. “Probably. It was a big pack, and cars were rolling in and out. When everyone is on the same tires, will the pack look the same? I don’t think we can honestly answer that yet.

“So I can’t give you a fair answer yet, and I want to be honest with you, but I can’t tell you exactly how it is going to look yet. I think when there are different amounts of laps on tires, it’s pretty cool out there… The way these stages are, it definitely presents the opportunity for cars to get on different strategies and make desperate moves from the pit box. That can happen, and that will definitely shake it up.”